K.T., Connie and Travis crouched below a clay wall that surrounded a small village.  It was late afternoon and the sun beat down on the red sand.  K.T.’s boxtok crackled and K.T. jumped like a scared rabbit.

“If they ask about your clothes, tell them you came fromLower Egypt– you’re inUpper Egyptnow,” Summer’s voice wavered through the air.

“Let’s figure out exactly where we are,” said Travis, looking east away from the sun.  “I see a shimmer there on the other side of the black dirt.  That must be the Nile River!  Wow, you can really see where the desert begins and the Nile Basin ends.”

There below their feet was the red sand of the Sahara and only a few hundred yards away was black, fertile Nile River soil.

Suddenly, a young girl ran around the corner of the wall and stumbled into them.   Tears streaked her face and she cried out in terror at the sight of the three strangers.  It was K.T. who first recovered from the shock of the collision.

“Hello, my name is K.T. and this is Connie and Travis,” she began.  “Could you tell us what town we’ve reached?”

The girl stared at her for a moment, but the translator program must have worked because she stopped crying and let her curiosity overtake her fear.

“My name is Nefah and this town is Kaefa.  It is the village of the artists and artisans who work on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.  Don’t you know where you are?” she asked, wiping the tears from her face.  Her shoulder-length hair was straight and jet black.

“Yes, of course.  We were just making sure.  Why were you crying and running away?  Is there something wrong?” K.T. questioned the girl.

“Everything is wrong – the pharaoh’s death, the workers’ illness, the overseer’s stupid plan!  But perhaps you are with the new pharaoh’s government or with the new high priest’s religion of Amun-Re.  Perhaps I should not speak with you at all.”  Nefah began to back away.

“Wait, please, we’re young like you.  We mean no harm.  We even bring you a gift,” K.T. said, opening her backpack.  Nefah looked with amazement at the zipper and then squealed with delight when she saw the kitten.  “We are looking for a home for this kitten.  We understand your culture appreciates cats.”